


Stuck With Me

by GarrillaGal



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-12-17
Updated: 2018-10-27
Packaged: 2019-02-15 20:29:45
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 18,780
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13038834
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/GarrillaGal/pseuds/GarrillaGal
Summary: Lance needs a tutor to help him get through community college. Him and Hunk try to sign up for a tutoring schedule, but something goes wrong. On the other end, Shiro thinks Keith should start tutoring in order to keep his brain fresh. Lance just wants to pass Biology, but something about this mullet kid is distracting him. He can't seem to keep his mind or sexuality straight.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> This is the first chapter out of ten. I want to see if this does well and if I should keep going. Enjoy!

~~~Lance~~~

“All I’m saying, is that it is completely pointless for me to know what a rat’s scrotum looks like for a dumb biology class.” Lance explained with french fries in his mouth. His thin eyebrows creased in frustration as he explored his phone. Hunk chuckled across from him. They sat at a booth in a small cafe part of Garrison University. There were college students with new shoes and fresh minds littered around tables drinking variations of coffee. The trees outside were still verdant and green. School had just begun.

“If you want to be able to transfer from community college to the Garrison, you have to have a science class with a lab, right?” Hunk asked rhetorically. Lance nodded while stuffing more fries in his face.

“Well, then just deal with it for now, and then dump all of the useless information out of your brain when the semester ends.” Hunk instructed while typing away at his laptop.

“Hunk, buddy,” Lance started, “we have different brains. I can’t simply file information into a neat filing mindscape.”

“Well then get a tutor.” Hunk’s eyes grew wide as he said this. He looked up from his laptop to see Lance looking solemnly at his phone.

“Hey! I have a plan.” Hunk offered. “I have to do community service stuff for the honors program here. If you sign up for a biology tutor in the library, I could help you pass  _ and _ earn easy volunteer hours.” he explained. Lance tilted his head like a puppy.

“But I don’t go here.” He said. Hunk waved his hand.

“They won’t care. As long as someone’s learning.” He reassured. Lance leaned closer to the table between them.

“Yeah, yeah this could work. The community college is only ten minutes from here, so I could come right after class.” Lance stopped to admire the smile spreading across his friend’s cheeks.

“Hunk! You’re a genius!” Lance exclaimed while almost knocking over his coffee to clap Hunk’s shoulder.

“I know, I know. Now, the undergrad library is across from this building. The tutoring tables are on the second level, so all you gotta do is find a librarian and ask to rent a tutoring table.” He explained.

“Okay. Simple. You wanna do this now?” Lance asked while grabbing his backpack. Hunk shook his head.

“I’ll sign up later. I have to write this essay for tomorrow.” He said. Lance stood and smiled.

“Alright, buddy. I’ll see you tomorrow?” He asked. Hunk nodded with his eyes fixated on the screen. His fingers typed away as Lance threw his empty tray for fries into the trash next to them. He walked past the girl at the counter, gave a wink, and pushed through the doors.

 

~~~

 

The library had students walking by it, but no students were seen circulating through it. Lance broke the trend of students walking left or right and crossed the sidewalk. The building loomed over him and spat out chilled gusts of air as he opened the door. Small groups of students were scattered around tables and chatting about class schedules. Lance followed the signs to reach the staircase. On the second level were less students, but more bookcases. At the front was a large desk with a man with sandy-brown hair hunched at the desktop computer. His circle rimmed glasses reflected a bright screen with numbers dashing back and forth. Lance approached him and cleared his throat. No response.

“Um, hello?” Lance said. The man looked up from his screen for a second in annoyance.

“I need to sign up for a tutor.” Lance declared weakly.

“I’m great, thank you for asking. Tutor? Sign this paper thing.” he slapped down a clipboard and pushed over a pen. The sound made Lance wince, but he reluctantly picked it up.

“Thanks. Uh, sorry, I don’t exactly know how things work around here.” He admitted. The man looked up and focused his eyes. His expression softened.

“Well, as an assistant academic advisor, I would love to show you around. My name is Matt, can I help you with anything in particular?” he asked with a smile. Lance blushed. The sudden shift in personality flustered him for a second.

“Oh, um. Thank you; I’m Lance. I don’t actually go here yet, but thanks.” He said. Matt nodded and looked back to his computer.

“Let me know if you need anything, Lance.” He finished. Lance slowly wandered to the nearest table to fill out the sign up sheet. He was the only student sitting at the large study table, and empty chairs filled the spaces around him. The sheet had columns of different subjects, days, and times, but there were no spaces for a tutor to sign up.  _ How is Hunk gonna know what days I sign up for? _ Lance thought to himself. He turned the page over and noticed more columns.  _ How long is this thing?? _ Current grade, grade goal, table number. Lance squinted at the paper looking for the right answer. He looked over to Matt rapidly typing at his keyboard. Lines of code were continuously being spat out on the screen. Lance stood and again approached the front desk.

“Um, how do I sign up for a specific tutor?” Lance asked. Matt swiveled his chair around to look at the sign up sheet.

“Well, um. I don’t think we do that. It’s considered ‘cheating the system.’” Matt informed with air quotes at the end of the sentence.

“But kids do this stuff all the time. What the Garrison doesn’t know, doesn’t hurt ‘em, right?” Matt said smoothly. Lance chuckled and nodded.

“Just let your friend know what you filled out, and they’ll sign up as a tutor with the same information.” Matt explained. Lance nodded more.

“Alright, thanks.” He wandered back to the table and filled out the form. 

 

~~~ Keith ~~~

Despite the approaching fall season, the air was heavy with humidity. Keith wiped his brow as he pushed the large, roaring lawnmower across a field. If humans could sweat buckets, Keith was sweating pools. He looked down to his watch, and widened his eyes. Late. He took the lawnmower and pushed it even faster. His muscles screamed in protest, but he ignored it with the power of adrenaline and the fear of being late again at his other job.  _ Shit shit shit. _ He chanted to himself as he raced around the lawn.

He quickly scooted the lawnmower into the company truck and got in the driver seat. As soon as he thought he would make it, his phone buzzed

**_Incoming Call From:_ **

**_Shiro_ **

**_Accept_** **_Decline_**

Keith groaned and accepted the call.

“Hey, listen, Shiro, I’m running late for work. Can I call you-” He started.

“Hello, Keith. I’m great, thanks for asking. I need to talk to you about something. I’ll stop by later tonight.” Shiro said. Keith sighed.

“Thanks for the warning, bye.” Keith ended the call before Shiro could say another word. It wasn't uncommon for Shiro to show up unannounced to ‘talk’ to Keith. It was always just to check up on him. Always checking to see if he was doing okay in school, making friends, or eating enough. Even though Keith finally had his own apartment, Shiro still felt like Keith was suffering. The conversations always ended the same

“Make sure you talk to people.”

“Okay.”

“Have you been feeling okay lately? Are you eating enough?”

“Yes, yes.”

“Do you want to stay with me and Matt for the weekend? There’s plenty of room.”

No, thank you.”

“Okay. Stay safe. Call me if you need anything.”

Keith understood Shiro was trying to be a good brother, and he was. He helped him apply for college, a credit card, and an apartment all in one year. But sometimes, Shiro cared a little too much about Keith’s personal life. Keith had a different mom, but they grew up close together.

~~~

After a long shift at the coffee shop across from the Garrison, Keith finally made it home to his near empty apartment. He unlocked the door and threw his apron on the stove. He looked around at all the empty space and wished for a place to sit for a second. Instead, he unlocked his door for Shiro and hit the shower.

Unlike the rest of his apartment, the bathroom was filled with familiar objects. Soaps, toothpaste, a toothbrush, a hairbrush, hair products, scissors, and towels. When Shiro and him used to live together at home, they shared a room. So the only essentials he knew how to get  were things for himself. They shared a tv, a computer, a couch, and even a bedside table. The only privacy for Keith was in the bathroom.

His clothes from the previous lawn job were still on the floor from earlier. He wouldn't usually take a shower after his coffee shift, but he managed to spill iced coffee over himself as he rushed to close up.

~~~

“You did what?!” Keith exclaimed. Shiro was sitting at the tiny breakfast nook at the corner of Keith’s tiny kitchen. He had a half eaten sub in front of him and a wrapped sub next to it.

“Dad and I agree that it’s a good way for you to use your brain.” Shiro explained. Keith was leaning against the fridge with his arms crossed. His cheeks were flushed from the shower and from anger.

“So you could have asked me first! I still have a class.” 

“Yeah one class only. You should be taking more if you want to graduate.”

“I don’t want to tutor people.” Keith said. He grabbed the wrapped sub and started to unwrap it. He chewed angrily.

“Keith, you’re not taking as many classes as you should and you are working way too much. You need to exercise your brain and meet new people.” Shiro said.

“Oh, that’s why you did it. Listen, Shiro. I don’t care about meeting new people. I’m fine by myself.” Keith declared.

“You can say what you want; we both know that’s a lie.” Shiro countered. Keith scoffed.

“What are you talking about?” He asked. Shiro took out his phone and unlocked it.

“Well, for starters, I can see you’ve been binging Buffy the Vampire Slayer-”

“Stop.” Keith interrupted, but Shiro kept going.

“Grey’s Anatomy? Really? Nashville; that one just sounds like a mess.”

“Okay, what does this have to do with anything?” Keith asked.

“Keith, these are shows people watch when they’re lonely. Hell, I used to watch Grey’s Anatomy whenever I was going through a bad break up.” Shiro started. “I only want you to be happy. Be honest with me, are you really happy living like this?” He pressed. Keith looked down at his sub.  _ No. _ Keith thought to himself. So what if he were alone? Keith always knew relationships got in the way of work and school, but maybe work was getting in the way of relationships. Shiro was only in his twenties, but he seemed to know everything.

“When does the first session start?” Keith asked after the long pause. Shiro smiled.


	2. Chapter 2

~~~Lance~~~

Lance looked at his phone for the twentieth time that hour. He was sitting in the library, waiting for Hunk, but Hunk was not answering. A whole week had passed, and his biology grade was slipping. He felt his phone vibrate.

 

**_Text From: hunky boi <3<3_ **

**_I thought you signed up for 3 pm???_ **

 

**_Sent To: hunky boi <3<3_ **

**_i have work at 3:30, I wrote 2 on the form?? You got the pic, right?_ **

 

**_Text From: hunky boi <3<3_ **

**_Yeah, but your handwriting sucks. Just ask to cancel, and we’ll try again_ **

 

Lance’s heart sank.  _ Oh god. _ He looked up, and saw the same guy from last week sitting at the front desk. He walked up to him hoping to get some help.

“Excuse me, uh, Matt?” He started. Matt turned around and smiled.

“Lance! What can I help you with?” He questioned.

“Is there any way I can cancel my tutoring session?” Lance asked. Matt pouted and grabbed a clipboard. He shifted through the papers and frowned.

“Sorry, you’re gonna have to talk with the tutor who signed up with you.” He explained. Lance froze.

“Wait, you mean someone already signed up to tutor me?” He asked. Matt nodded, but he had a smirk on his face. 

“Just wait at the assigned table. I’m sure he’ll be here soon.” Matt advised. He sat back at his computer and tried to hide his grin. Lance sulked back to the table and waited with his arms crossed.  _ He? Must be a crappy tutor since he’s so late. _ There were more students around this time. A lot of them filled the small tutoring tables around Lance. The leaves outside were finally starting to turn, but it was still hot and humid.

The door for the stairs suddenly swung open, and it caught some people’s attention. Lance looked up and was not impressed. A guy with a black shirt, black pants, and black hair was walking to the front desk.  _ Is that a mullet?? _ Lance tried not to stare, but the guy had some style. He lacked any self expression or color, but it worked for him. Sort of like a biker, but minus the bike. Lance didn’t notice that Matt and the guy were now looking at him.  _ Shit shit shit. _ Lance looked away and heard footsteps approaching him. He turned and looked up.  _ Definitely a mullet _ . Lance concluded to himself.

“I’m Keith, did you sign up for a general studies tutor?” He asked. Lance gulped and nodded. He was very direct and looked down on Lance as if he were a child.

“Yeah, but I meant to sign up with my friend.” Lance admitted. Keith’s eyebrows rose.  _ He has nice eyebrows _ . Lance thought.

“So, you don’t need me?” He asked.

“Uh, no?” Lance replied.

“Do you want to cancel this, then?” Keith suggested. Lance nodded and stood. They both approached the front desk. Matt was already waiting for them with a beaming smile.

“Matt, we want to cancel.” Keith said. Matt faked his surprise.

“Oh, that’s too bad. Are you sure?” He asked. They both nodded their heads in response. Matt sighed dramatically.

“Well, I’m afraid you can’t. Sorry.” He swiveled his chair back to his computer and turned away from them. Lance and Keith looked at each other, completely lost on how to respond.

“Why not?” Lance asked first. Matt swiveled his chair back over dramatically and smiled.

“Well, for starters; you already signed up for a month. Cancelling too early would result in a temporary ban from the tutoring section. Basically it’s a ‘we know you’re trying to cheat the system, so suffer’ kind of thing.” He looked over to Keith.

“And second, if  _ you _ cancel, it will go on your tutoring record. It won’t be counted for volunteer hours.” Matt finished. Keith widened his eyes.

“Seriously? What if I don’t care about any of this?” Keith asked. His voice was a little louder, and it caught the attention of some students trying to study. Matt held his pointer finger over his lips.

“Shush! Do you want to tell that to Shiro? That you don’t care?” Matt reminded. Keith rolled his eyes and pinched the bridge of his nose in frustration. Lance watched their conversation with wide eyes. There was no way he was going to have a tutor that argued with librarians.

“Wait. Do you guys  _ know _ each other? And who’s Shiro?” Lance questioned, feeling a little left out. Keith sighed.

“Shiro is my brother. He signed me up to tutor you  _ without _ asking. This is Matt, his unfortunate best friend.” He explained. Matt gave a small wave.

“Personally, I think you guys are lucky to have me because someone else would have kicked you out by now. Me, I’m just trying to get you guys together. To study.” He admitted innocently. Lance was starting to weigh out the pros and cons. He wanted to be tutored by his best friend because strangers are gross. Hunk is really smart, so Lance could trust him. However, Lance can never be serious around Hunk for more than ten seconds, so learning would be an issue. Lance needed a tutor fast, so maybe having Keith as his tutor would be a worthy sacrifice.

“Hey, uh, I don’t mind being with you. We only signed up for a few weeks, right? We can just wait until then, and then it’ll be over.” Lance offered. Matt smiled again at Lance.

“Yes, absolutely. Once your month ends, you can opt out or keep going. You never know, it could go well for you two.” Matt suggested. Keith sighed one last time and nodded his head.

“Okay, fine. One month.” He said. Matt started to swivel his chair back to his computer.

“Glad we could accomplish something today. Enjoy your first session.” He finished and waved his hand to dismiss them. Keith and Lance silently walked back to their study table and sat down. Lance started to pull books out of his shoulder bag and noticed Keith’s leg bouncing like crazy. Maybe the whole ’biker look’ was only a show.

“So what class do you need help with?” Keith started. His hands were clasped on top of the table like a businessman wagering an offer. Lance slammed the book on the table and spun it sideways for Keith to see the cover; Biology. Keith lifted the cover and started to leaf through the pages.

“Easy. What do you need help with?” Keith asked. Lance chortled.

“I dunno, everything? I got a D on the first quiz. Totally thought I had it in the bag, but uh, apparently not.” Lance admitted. Keith opened the book to the first chapter.

“”Overview of Life and Basic Chemistry’? How did you get a D, it’s like the the easiest part?” Keith teased. Lance abruptly turned the book back to his view.

“Okay, just because something is easy for you, mister perfect emo, doesn’t mean it is simple for the rest of us. I wasn't born a natural genius, okay? Sue me.” He declared. Keith raised his eyebrows.  _ There go those nice eyebrows again _ .

“Okay, whatever. When is your next quiz and what is it on?’ Keith asked. Lance snapped out of his defensive stature and looked through his book.

“Oh, uhhh. It’s supposed to be about cell structure. Quizzes are every Thursday, so the next one should be…” Lance started.

“Tomorrow?” Keith blurted. Lance slammed his hand on the table.

“Shit!” He covered his mouth. People were staring. He heard someone clear their throat and looked over to see Matt watching them. He held his pointer finger up against his lips again to signal to them.

“You’ll be okay. It seems like a short chapter. You just have to know the structures and functions of the cell.” Keith affirmed. He pulled at the notebook sitting next to the textbook.

“Do you take notes in the class?” He asked. Lance looked down at Keith’s hand. There were red and blue marks on his knuckles. He was pale, so the bruises stuck out.

“Uh, I try. Although, sometimes I get distracted or bored. You know how it goes.” He said. Keith nodded.

“Nothing is worse than a boring lecture. How I get through them is read the book and take notes from there. Then I add to the notes during the lecture. This way, if I stop paying attention, it won’t affect me too badly.” Keith instructed. Lance paused.  _ This kid might actually be smart _ . 

“Yeah that makes sense.” He said.

 

~~~Keith ~~~

Keith didn't spill coffee all over himself this time, but he needed a shower; a cold one. He had been sweating during the entire tutoring session and even after it ended. He knew he would be nervous around a stranger, but he didn’t think it would be that bad. Lance was just so  _ casual _ . It wasn’t easy to get him to learn the difference between a carbohydrate and a protein, but he was catching on pretty quick. Keith could tell he was a smart kid; he just needed someone there to guide him in the right direction.

Keith turned the shower on and let it hit his back. Work, school, work, rent, and now this guy?  _ It’s nothing. He’s just a person. _ Keith kept telling himself.  _ Just a person with nice hair and a  _ really _ nice smile _ . Keith couldn’t help but casually stare at Lance across from him. He had well kept hair, a bright, clean smile, a good sense of style, some humor, a nice body…

Keith’s phone buzzed on the bathroom counter.

**_Call From:_ **

**_Shiro_ **

**_Accept_** **_Decline_**

Keith groaned and accepted the call with a non soapy hand.

“Hey! Open up. Matt and I are gonna take you to a movie.” Shiro chirped. Keith turned off the water.

“Hold on, I’m in the shower.” He hung up the phone and grabbed a towel.  _ Sure just come to my apartment whenever you want _ . 

Keith unlocked the door and opened it for them.

“Are we seriously going to see that weird sausage movie?” Keith whined as he opened the door. Matt pushed the door harder and stomped his way in.

“Always a pleasure to see you, too, Keith.” He said walking to the fridge. Shiro entered with a little more respect.

“No, don’t worry. That came out a while ago. We’re gonna see that new Christopher Nolan movie; Dunkirk.” He announced.

“Sausage Party, by the way, was not bad. It is a classic in my mind.” Matt spoke up with his hand rummaging through the fridge. Keith scoffed.

“Yeah, in your mind, dumb movies are good.” He mocked. Shiro leaned against the wall to appear casual.

“So, how did the first session go?” He asked. Keith crossed his arms.

“It was fine.” He said. Matt chuckled.

“Oh it was  _ damn _ fine!” Matt yelled with a coke in his hand.

“What is that supposed to mean?” Keith questioned. Matt approached him with a sly smile.

“Nothing, nothing. Just a tutoring session between two guys. Nothing special. Except that Lance guy kept looking at you.” He hummed while taking a sip.

“What?!” Keith exclaimed. Matt and Shiro raised their eyebrows.

“You didn’t notice? He was totally checking you out the whole time.” Matt continued. Keith was at a loss for words. There was no way Lance was checking him out. Keith would have noticed, right?

“You’re lying. He’s not that kind of guy.” Keith said more to himself. Matt laughed like it was a joke. Shiro stopped him.

“Go get some clothes on. The movie starts at 8.” He advised. Keith rolled his eyes and walked towards his room.  _ How could Lance be checking  _ me  _ out if I was checking  _ him  _ out? _


	3. Chapter 3

~~~Lance~~~

“I know it might seem simple, but photosynthesis is actually pretty complicated.” Keith warned. Lance watched Keith draw out a diagram. There were so many steps and reactants and products. It made his head buzz. Lance’s grades have been steadily rising, but he still gets frustrated with all of his difficult classes. Keith helps, but it doesn’t seem like it’s enough.

“So it’s pretty much the same as the equation, but with ATP added?” Lance asked. Keith nodded. His dark hair was always in his eyes, but he never brushed it away. Lance pushed down the urge to try and do it for him.

~~~

Hunk and Lance were crossing a main road to get to a small villa with a coffee shop, a laundromat, and and a pizza place. A perfectly placed villa across campus.

“He’s smart, but he kinda seems like an asshole. Like he thinks he knows everything, you know?” Lance explained to Hunk. Hunk chuckled.

“Oh no, those are the worst.” He said opening the door. The coffee shop was small, but college students filled it to the brim. Almost every table was taken. Lance found a table for them while Hunk went to order their drinks. Lance loved the smell of coffee and university life. Kids talking about their majors, people complaining about their morning lecture, and the cute girls hiding behind their laptops. The ambiance was very comforting. Lance watched Hunk scavenge the menu for their favorite drinks, and noticed a cute barista with her hair tied back. She was preparing a drink quickly and seemed very focused.  _ Maybe I should have ordered the drinks _ . The girl turned around and Lance choked on his own spit. It was not a girl, it was Keith.

“Fuck.” He said under his breath. Hunk was easily chatting to him about coffee prices and business. Lance was blushing all over as he tried to hide his face behind a booth. Hunk returned with two hot drinks and a smile.

“One pumpkin spice latte for you, and a caramel-” Lance wasn’t even paying attention. He kept staring at Keith. He was taking orders from a girl that was flirtily smiling. The girl was blushing almost as much as Lance. Hunk followed Lance’s line of vision and furrowed his brow.

“Dude, what are you looking at?” He asked while passing him his drink.

“It’s him. My tutor, Keith.” Lance spat. Hunk turned around again.

“No! Don’t look! Oh god, does he see us? Can he see me?” He pleaded. Hunk laughed.

“He’s just giving that girl coffee. He doesn’t seem so bad.”

“He’s not bad. He just- He doesn’t-” Lance couldn’t find words to describe Keith. He didn’t know what he wanted to say. He just kept watching him make coffee and wipe the counters. The way he handed people their drinks was so gentle; as if he didn’t want to touch their hands.

“Ooooh, I get it.” Hunk giggled.

“Get what?”

“You think he’s alright.” Hunk finished with a smirk. He took a sip of his drink. Lance squinted his eyes at Hunk.

“Yeah? What are you getting at?” He questioned.

“So, you wouldn’t say he’s… ugly?” He asked. Lance raised an eyebrow and leaned back in his chair.

“Well, no. He looks… nice.” He admitted. Hunk smirked again.

“Interesting.” They continued drinking their coffee and talking about school. Lance still kept an eye on Keith as he worked. Another employee joined him at the counter and they switched places. Keith started to wipe off empty tables. Lance’s eyes darted around the room. The place was starting to clear out. There were only a few tables taken up. Lance watched as Keith would bend over to reach every corner of the table.

“Hey. Pay attention to me.” Hunk demanded. Lance looked away and cleared his focus.

“Sorry, what were you saying?” He asked. Hunk shook his head.

“Man, you are not subtle.”

“Huh?”

“You have been staring at him all night. Just go say hello.” Hunk said. Lance crossed his arms.

“No way! I barely know him.”

“It’d be weird if you didn’t do anything.” Hunk advised. Lance shook his head and looked back at Keith. He was picking up empty cups and throwing them in the trash. The table next to them was the only one not cleaned yet. Lance fidgeted.

“I don’t know what to say.” He admitted.

“Well you better think of something quick, because he’s on his way over here.” Hunk warned. Lance bolted upright and looked at Keith. He was walking to the table next to them. He was so close. Lance bit his lip.  _ What do I say?? _

“Keith?” Lance let out weakly. Keith turned around to face him There were coffee stains covering his apron, and strands of hair were falling out of his ponytail.

“Lance?” Keith recognized him. Lance felt relief rush over him.

“Hey, uh, I didn’t know you worked here.”

“Yeah. I just started last month.” Keith answered. He just stood there expecting more to the conversation, but it wasn’t going anywhere. Lance fidgeted even more.

“That’s cool. It seems nice.” he said.

“Yeah.” Keith agreed. Hunk smiled.

“Hey, sorry, I don’t think we’ve met. I’m Hunk.” He said to interrupt the silence. Keith gave a smile.  _ This guy smiles?? _

“Hi, I think I’ve seen you before. Do you go to the Garrison?” Keith asked.

“Yeah. I think we have communications together.” Hunk replied. Lance, once again, felt completely left out. How could his best friend know this guy?

“It’s nice to meet you. Well, I’ll see you guys around.” He said as he picked cups off of the table and walked back to the counter. Lance stared at Hunk completely perplexed.

“You  _ know _ him?” He asked exasperated. Hunk shrugged.

“It’s a big class. There are like a hundred kids in it.” He said. Lance stood.

“We should go.” He suggested. Hunk joined him.

“What, you don’t want to stick around and chat with him?” He asked with a laugh. Lance groaned and led the way out. It wasn’t fall yet, but there was a chilling wind. Hunk jogged to keep up.

“Okay, Lance, you have a problem.” He said. Lance stopped.

“ _ Me? _ How do I have a problem?”

“Because you won’t admit you have a crush on him.” Lance blanked. He could not process what Hunk just said.  _ Me? Crush? On Keith? _ Hunk sighed.

“Come on. Let’s just go.”

 

~~~

A whole night had passed and Lance was still processing. It was almost noon, so he was stuck in his biology class barely paying attention to the lecture. His notes were filled out, but the lesson still felt fuzzy. He rested his head on his hand and zoned out. The professor went on passionately about connective tissues, but Lance was thinking about other things.

_ Sure, Keith’s hair looks dumb as a mullet, but in a ponytail it actually looks good?? What if he cut it like a normal person? Would he just look like a baby? He would probably look like a baby. Hunk is so wrong. I would never have a crush on a baby. _

“Epithelial tissue works as a lining for the organs…”

_ I wonder what music he’s into. Isn’t that supposed to say a lot about a person? I bet he listens to whiny rock bands. Hell,  _ I _ even listen to those sometimes. Mostly when I work out, though. Does he workout? He seems fit. Really fit. _

“... type of tissue helps with movement. It takes a lot of energy to…”

_ Do guy lips taste different from girl lips? Is there like an added saltiness or sweetness? I wonder how many girls Keith has kissed. Probably like two. _

“Be sure to remember that, it’ll be on the quiz. I will see you all next week.” The professor finished. All the students pushed out theirs chairs and grabbed their bags. Lance slowly put away his notes in deep thought.

Lance walked to his car and hit the unlock button.  _ I wonder what kind of car Keith drives. It’s probably a dumb little smart car. Or maybe a Prius.  _ He looked at the road across the parking lot. Only an expressway separated Lance from that coffee shop. Maybe Keith was working. Lance shook his head and started his car.  _ I am never going to that place again _ . He vowed.


	4. Chapter 4

~~~Lance~~~

The library was in full bloom. Students hung around whiteboards talking about equations, people in group projects huddled around tables, and every tutoring table was taken up. Lance scribbled in his notebook and checked his watch. Only five more minutes until Keith should get here. Keith always showed up late and apologized, but Lance didn’t mind. Matt was extremely busy with three different students crowding the front desk. They all seemed stressed out and spoke in worried voices as Matt tried to calm them down.

“I’m sure you’ll be okay. There is a whole week left for you to decide whether to drop the class or not.”

“But I have to have this class in order to graduate!”

“I can help you sign up for a tutor-”

“I already have a tutor!”

“Well then maybe you should sign up for a new one because  _ you are failing algebra, Cindy! _ ”

Lance looked again at his watch. For some reason, his stomach kept turning and his palms felt sweaty.  _ Just hurry up, Keith. _ Keith had one more minute until he was actually considered late. Lance thought about calling him, but he didn’t have his number.  _ Should I ask for his number? Would that be weird? _ Lance looked back to the front desk and sighed. Matt was staring dumbfounded at a girl who went on and on about her life story. Lance almost wanted to eavesdrop until he saw a flash of black in the corner of his eye. Like the last two sessions, Keith had worn all black.  _ Okay, now it’s just sad. _

Keith gave a nod to an almost unconscious Matt and approached Lance’s table.

“Sorry I’m late again, did the quiz go okay?” He said. Lance smirked and fished a paper out of his folder. The number, 85, was written in red ink at the top.

“Hey, That’s good!” Keith smiled. He grabbed the paper and looked it over. There was sweat beading at his forehead as if he had ran all the way here. Lance noticed how Keith’s chest rose and fell quickly, trying to catch his breath. 

“Ah, the carbohydrates. We should review those again.” He said as he handed the quiz back to Lance. Lance tore his eyes from his chest.  _ His eyes are up here. _

“Yeah, sorry, it’s still a little fuzzy, I guess.” Lance admitted.

“Don’t worry about it. These quizzes will help you remember what you need to study for the exam. Which is when?”

“Uhhh, next week? It’s gonna be about chapters one through five.”

“Okay then we’ll finish reviewing chapter five and then do a unit review.” Keith instructed. Lance nodded and opened his textbook.

“Wait, before we move on, I still have a question about pH and stuff.” Lance flipped through the pages and found a diagram.

“I’m not sure what the exponents are for.” He said. Keith looked at the page and turned his head sideways. He started to scoot his chair closer to Lance in order to see the page better. Lance froze. Keith raised his arm to point at the picture, and his shoulder almost grazed Lance’s.

“It’s to show the concentration of hydrogen ions.” Keith informed. Lance was still looking at the boy next to him.  _ Too close, too close, too close _ . Keith looked up and met his eyes. He blushed for a second and looked back at the page. Lance looked away in embarrassment.

“Um, the bigger the exponent, the less hydrogen. See?” Keith explained while motioning his fingers sideways to represent a scale. Lance watched him move and nodded his head.

“Uh, yeah. Thanks.” He said. Keith scooted his chair away, but it was still close. He flipped the pages and cleared his throat.

“So, um, chapter five…”

 

~~~

The session had a few minutes left and Lance couldn’t handle it. He had to mention the night at the coffee shop. Too much talk about biology was making his head spin.

“Alright, I think that’s mostly everything.” Keith said as he stretched. They had been sitting next to each other with their backs hunched over for an hour.

“Any questions?”

_ Yeah what’s ur number _

“Oh, hey, I saw you at the coffee shop last night.” Lance recalled. Keith blinked.

“Uh, yeah. I saw you, too.” He said. Lance realized that this conversation was going to go nowhere fast.

“Uhhhh, how do you like it there? Does it get busy? Do you like coffee?” He asked in a flustered tone. The last thing he wanted was for this conversation to end. Keith raised an eyebrow.

“Um. It’s not terrible there. It’s not like my other job, so that’s good. It gets really busy in the morning, but I usually do night shifts. And I don’t drink coffee.” Keith added.

“Wait, how do you not drink coffee?” Lance asked perplexed.

“I never drank caffeinated stuff as a kid, so I never became dependant on soda or coffee.” He explained. Lance scoffed.

“That’s impossible! What do you do when you’re tired?”

“Sleep?” Keith said. Lance laughed.

“So where do you work?” Keith asked.

“Oh I’m a busser at a banquet hall down the road. I work weddings, birthdays, and recitals and stuff. It’s super fancy, but I hate it. We have to wear these ridiculous outfits with a bowtie.” Lance described.

“A bowtie?”

“Yeah! I look like a penguin!” Lance said. Keith laughed.  _ So he does have a sense of humor _ .

“So, you said the coffee shop wasn’t as bad as your other job?” Lance started.

“Oh yeah, I also work for a lawn service in the summer. I’ve been doing it since I was 14. I believe it’s the only thing I hate in this world.” He admitted.

“So far it doesn’t sound good. Why do you do it?”

“Well, it’s money. I’ve gotten a few small promotions, though. Like, they gave me a company truck to use.”

“That sounds pretty cool. A free ride, huh?” Lance said.

“Well, it’s not the nicest looking thing. It stalls a lot in the winter.”

“Aw man, that sucks. How do you get around that?”

“I usually text my brother and wait for him to come around.” Keith said. Lance nodded.

“Your brother sounds like a good guy.” Keith sighed a little.

“Yeah, he’s okay. Just wish he would back off a little, you know? He sort of treats me like I’m a still a kid.” He confessed.

“Oh, I get that. I have like a million other siblings. Sometimes it’s too much to handle, and other times I feel like the baby. Like, they baby me and I baby them. Does that make sense? I mean, I just want them to be safe, but then my older siblings feel the same way.” Lance paused for a second.  _ I have been saying way too much there is no way that made sense _ . 

“Uh, yeah. It makes sense.” Keith confirmed. “I’ll see you next week, yeah?”

“Of course. Uh, but wait-” Lance stopped. Keith got up from his chair and was about to leave. Lance stood.  _ Just do it _ .

“Should we trade numbers just in case I need extra help?” He asked. Keith stiffened. He glanced behind him for a moment and then looked back. His face seemed slightly pink.

“Yeah. Sure. That’s fine.” He pulled his phone out of his jeans and unlocked it. Lance did the same and they traded. Keith’s phone had no case, and the screen was barely visible from all of the cracks. Lance almost could not correctly punch in all the numbers. They were both silent when they returned their phones.

“Okay, see you around.” Lance said. Keith nodded and started to walk out. As soon as he passed through the exit, Lance melted and relaxed his shoulders. He started to chew his fingernails and immediately unlocked his phone.

**New Contact:**

**Keith Kogane**

**(XXX) XXX- XXXX**

Lance walked toward the exit with a smile plastered on his face.

 

~~~

The week was coming to an end, but Lance still had his exam. He stared down at all the possible choices and chewed his eraser. He was ten minutes into the exam and was stumped on a question about carbohydrates.  _ It’s either A or C. We went over this, I know it _ . He looked up and noticed the kid next to him breezing through the questions.  _ Keith said something about… energy? Was it long term or short term? _ Lance tried to picture his session with Keith. He could remember the table and the book in front of them, but the pages were blank from his memory. He wasn’t really paying attention to the book. He could clearly remember the way Keith would brush back his dumb mullet or let out a sigh each time he had to re explain lipids, but he couldn’t remember the damn lesson.  _ I’ll just go with C.  _ He bubbled in his answer and moved on.

 

Lance exited the building and let out an exhale of relief. The exam lasted over an hour, but he somehow finished before time was up. He fished his car keys out of his pocket and swung them around his finger as he bounced through the parking lot. The air was still warm, but the leaves were starting to get pale and fragile. The sun shone bright, but it seemed a little weak and golden.

As Lance started his car, a thought bubbled in his head.  _ I don’t have to work tonight. I should study. Hunk is working on a paper, so he’s out. _ He looked at the express way across the parking lot and squinted his eyes.  _ That coffee shop is just one exit away... _

“No no no. Nope. Nuh-uh. Not gonna do that.” He declared to the empty audience in his car. He drove out onto the road and got in the middle lane. He stopped at a light.  _ He might not even be working today. _ The light on the other side turned yellow.  _ Would it be weird to stop in? _ The other light turned red.  _ It would be weird. No. I can’t do it. _ His light was about to turn green, but he whipped his blinker on and swerved into the turning lane. He turned and merged onto the ramp to the expressway. Just one exit away.

 

~~~Keith~~~

It was a pretty slow afternoon for the coffee shop. Not many kids stayed late on Thursdays, so Keith allowed himself to relax for a moment. He had been on edge almost the entire day before and today. Everything was going fine until the tutoring session with Lance. The lesson itself was fine. Exchanging numbers was fine. Matt seeing it all go down was not fine. Keith could still remember the way Matt was staring at him as he walked out of the library. His smile creeped up to his ears like a mischievous elf. Keith ignored Shiro’s call that night and hoped he could get could away scot free. Until he got a text the next morning.

 

**_Text From: Shiro_ **

**_Hey how is the tutoring going? Matt tells me it’s “getting good”. What does he mean by this?_ **

 

**_Sent To: Shiro_ **

**_I have no idea what he is talking about._ **

 

Keith knew it would be brought up the next time they meet, but he didn’t want to talk about it.  _ It’s just a number. _ He thought as he started to clean one of the espresso machines. There were only two people in the shop. One was a middle aged balding man on his laptop and the other was a student completely swamped with papers.  _ It’s totally normal for a tutor to trade numbers with his student. _ He heard the entrance’s bell ding as another customer walked in.  _ So what if the guy is nice looking? it shouldn’t matter. _ He wiped his hands on his apron and turned around to the front counter. He froze.

“Lance?” He said. Lance was standing at the counter with an over-the-shoulder laptop case. His hair seemed ruffled and his eyes were slightly droopy. He gave a weak smile.

“Hey.”

“Uh, hey? What are you doing here?” Keith asked. Lance scratched the back of his head.

“Well, um, this is a place to get coffee and free wifi, so I am doing that. I guess.” He replied. Keith was still just standing there. He didn’t know what to do next.

“You guys do pumpkin spice lattes, right?” Lance questioned. Keith nodded and snapped back to reality. Coffee. He wants coffee.

“Right. Yeah. What size?”

“Medium.”

“Okay, 3.50. I’ll bring it to you when it’s ready.” Keith informed. Lance shifted.

“You sure? I can just wait here for it.” He offered.

“It’s okay, I’m not busy.” Lance put his money on the counter and found an empty booth. Keith tried not to stare, but it was impossible. It was as if pining after Lance made him suddenly appear. Keith put the change in the register and prepared the drink. He delivered it to Lance and noticed his laptop was out, but not booted up.

“Hey, how did that exam go?” Keith mentioned. Lance took a sip of the drink and smirked.

“Well i don’t want to brag, but I think I aced it.”

“Seriously? That’s great.” Keith smiled.

“Well I can’t take all the credit. Thanks to you, I might actually pass this class.” Lance said. Keith blushed a little. They met by chance, but they seemed to be getting along. Keith wasn't sure how friendships started, but it felt like it was this. Lance started his computer.

“Now, if I could start passing my other classes, that would be great.”

“What other classes do you have?” Keith asked. Lance looked up at Keith and squinted his eyes in concentration.

“Uhhh… I have an english class, psychology, politics, and biology.” He counted on his fingers. Lance clicked to a website and brought up his current grades. Keith winced. Two C’s, a D, and a B. The B wasn’t bad, but that’s only because it was the class he had a tutor for. Keith looked back at the counter. One of his coworkers stood there on their phone. The roads were deserted, and business was slow. He sat down across from Lance.

“Well, I could help you with your other classes if you want.” Lance looked up. His eyes were definitely tired with bags starting to form. Lance is a smart kid, but he can’t do everything on his own. He was stressing out all alone. Keith always had Shiro to stress out to, so it only felt right to offer up some help.

“You sure?” Lance looked behind him at the door. “Aren’t you supposed to be working?” He asked. Keith looked around and gestured at the nearly empty room.

“I’m sure they won’t mind. We’re usually slow at this time of day.” He said. Lance started to smile. It was brimming to a grin, but the weight of his grades prevented it.

“This is awesome. This is so cool of you.” He thanked. Lance closed his laptop and searched through his bag.

“Would it be okay if we started with politics? That one is the worst and I have that class in two hours.” He admitted while placing a textbook on the table. Keith nodded and leaned in closer. They had a lot of work to do in two hours.


	5. Chapter 5

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> huhuhu sorry this is so late, I've been sick lately  
> enjoy :P

~~~Lance~~~

Was this Lance’s fourth or fifth visit to the coffee shop this week? He didn’t care. School was getting hard, but Keith made it easier. Lance was typing an essay on his laptop while Keith chatted with a customer at the counter. It wasn’t busy yet, but business would start to pick up any minute. He sipped on his latte and stared at the screen. Five page essay due tomorrow. Lance was still on the first page.

The past week consisted of two regular sessions with Keith and three or four impromptu lessons at the coffee shop. Keith helped Lance with his Biology quiz, his psychology book questions, and his politics exam. Lance practically owed him his life. As he typed away, Keith came up to his booth.

“Hey, how’s the paper going? Did you need a refill?” He offered. Lance tensed.  _ This guy is way too nice _ . He held up his cup and smiled.

“I’m good for now, thanks. Uh, the paper is… going.” Lance said. Keith bent down to look at Lance’s paper.

“Uh huh… You’re writing an essay about… space?” Keith questioned. Lance straightened his back and put on his defenses.

“More specifically, it’s about space travel and why astronauts need more government funding to do missions and stuff.” Keith raised an eyebrow.

“You do realize that astronauts don’t build the spaceships and stuff, right?” He asked. Lance sighed.

“Okay, so I have a lot of research to do.” He looked back at the single paragraph written and put his face in his hands. “Oh my God, I can’t do this.” He groaned. Keith chuckled.

“Yeah, you’re screwed.” He scooched next to Lance at the booth and turned the laptop towards himself. “Aren’t you supposed to have like five sources? You only have two.”

“Okay, I get it. It sucks. I’ll just have to turn it in late” Lance pulled the laptop back and pouted. 

“Won’t you get a huge mark down on your grade?” Keith asked. Lance nodded and crossed his arms.

“No, I can’t watch you destroy your grade like this.” The door dinged and a group of girls walked in. Keith’s coworker was starting to struggle on their own at the counter, so Keith stood.

“I have to mow a few lawns later, but I should get off around six. You can come over to my place and I’ll help you with your paper.” He said quickly. His cheeks started to go pink, but he managed to keep his composure.  _ Oh this guy is smooth. _ Lance thought.

“Uh, yeah I don’t work tonight. You’d really do this with me?” Lance marveled. Keith smiled. It was a small smile, but still a smile. Enough to drive Lance crazy.

“Of course. I’ll text you the address later. I’ll see you.” Keith said and waved as he walked back to the counter. Lance played it cool and returned the wave with a wink and a finger gun. He turned back to his laptop and started to overheat.  _ Oh god, did I just wink? Did he see me wink? Am I really going to his place tonight? It’s just studying. Oh god oh god oh god. _ Lance looked back at his paper and immediately closed the tab. There was no way he’d be able to concentrate now.

 

~~~

 

Lance turned his key in the ignition for the third time that hour just to keep the radio going. There was a slight chill in the car, but he had jacket to fight it. His car was parked far away from the campus, so there were barely any cars around him. His windows started to fog up as his breathing sped up.

“It's not a date, Hunk!” he yelled into his phone. He had one hand tapping on the steering wheel and the other with a phone pressed against his ear. Hunk laughed on the other line.

“It is a date, Lance! He invited you over to his place. Alone.” Hunk said. Lance looked in the rear view mirror at himself and frowned. His forehead was starting to sweat.

“He's just going to help me with homework. That's it.” 

“Okay. Fine. But if  _ anything _ happens, you let me know immediately.” 

“Yeah, yeah okay.”

“I'll keep my phone on just in case. Seriously, if this guy pulls anything-”

“He's not like that!” Lance yelled.

“Lance. Dude. He has a  _ mullet. _ ” Hunk chuckled. Lance sighed. Hunk was right. This guy could be a complete freak. His apartment could be filled with weird collectibles like knives or baby dolls. Lance shivered and twisted his nose in disgust.

“Okay. I'll keep you updated the whole time. I gotta go. See you tomorrow?”

“Yeah, see you.” Lance hung up the phone and looked back at his reflection.  _ Do I want to do this? _ He hugged his arms against the cold. Keith didn’t seem dangerous. The only strange thing about him was his hair and choice in fashion. _ You can’t judge a book by its cover, but can I judge a human by its mullet?? _ The sun was close to setting. The days were getting shorter. Summer was ending.  _ If it gets bad, Hunk will save me. _ He turned the key and drove out of the parking lot.

 

~~~

 

Lance got out of his car and noticed the nice neighborhood. Old people, grocery stores, and a library on the corner. This place had it all. His phone vibrated.

 

**_Text From: Keith Kogane_ **

**_Hey my door is unlocked. I’m taking a shower, so you can just come in._ **

 

Lance replied with an “okay.” He entered the building and climbed the two flights of stairs. The apartment door loomed in front of him. On the other side of the chunk of wood was Keith’s apartment. Lance made a small prayer for there not to be baby dolls or knives everywhere and opened the door. Cold air tickled his face. There was a window open across the room. Lance shut the door behind him and began to observe. The kitchen on the right was small, but enough for one person. The only dining space was the breakfast nook and chair. The living area straight ahead had nothing in it. There wasn’t even a couch or tv. It seemed like no one lived there.  _ Am I in the right place? _ He looked to the left and saw a door closed. He could hear water running. There was a room across from that one, but the door was only slightly open. Lance waited awkwardly in the empty living space until he heard the water shut off. His hands started to sweat a little, and his heartbeat raced. The bathroom door opened. Keith came rushing out. His hair was flat from being wet and his cheeks were flushed. The usual black shirt was replaced with a worn out red hoodie.

“Hey, sorry about that.”  He said. Lance cleared his throat.

“It’s alright, I just got here.” They both looked around for something to say. “This is a really nice place. Did you just move in?” Lance asked and shivered. The air outside was getting colder as night came closer.

“Yeah, two months ago.” Keith noticed Lance’s shaking body and went to close the window. “Sorry, I didn’t realize how cold it was.”

“It’s okay. Are you still waiting on furniture to be delivered?” He asked. Keith smiled in embarrassment and slammed the metal frame of the window down, locking it in place.

“Uh, well, no. I haven’t had much time or motivation to go furniture shopping.” He admitted. Lance nodded and fidgeted with the strap of his shoulder bag. It felt uncomfortably empty in there. Lance could only imagine how lonely it would be to stay in a place like this. Keith made his way to the kitchen and motioned for Lance to follow. There was one chair at the breakfast nook.

“You can sit here and I’ll go grab my laptop.” Keith offered. Lance hesitated.

“How are- where are you gonna sit?” Keith disappeared around the corner without a reply. Lance looked around and found a plug underneath the table. He plugged in his laptop charger, booted it up, and sat down. Keith returned with a laptop in one arm and a folded lawn chair in the other. Lance almost giggled at the sight of it. It had a mix of neon colors and squeaked loudly as Keith unfolded it. He placed it across from Lance and just like that, they were set up like a tutoring session. The only difference was the lack of Matt’s watching eyes.

“So I found a few sources that might come in handy. They mostly talk about NASA’s budget and contributions.” Keith said as he started his own computer. Lance watched him type his password and again noticed the purple bruises around his knuckles. They stood out even more after the shower. Did this kid punch a wall? Maybe a person? Lance wasn’t sure, so he tried to ignore it. They worked together for maybe twenty minutes when Keith’s phone started to buzz. He answered it.

“Hey. Yeah I’m good. No you don’t have to. Why? Uhhh…” He looked over at Lance as he spoke and started to wince.

“No, really. It’s fine.  _ Shiro I’m not going to _ -” He lifted the phone from his ear and looked at Lance apologetically. 

“Uh. Would you like some food?” Keith asked. Lance wanted to be polite and shy and just say ‘no, thank you,’ but he was starving. He wanted to get something on the way, but he feared tardiness. Like it mattered.

“Sure.” He said with a smile. Keith asked his order for Taco Bell and relayed the message to Shiro. He hung up and his eyebrows dipped down as he creased his forehead and looked at his phone.

“Okay, Shiro will be here in about twenty minutes with food.” Lance nodded. It seemed like a good thing. Big brother bringing little brother and his… friend some dinner. Why did Keith seem so unhappy? Lance looked back to his laptop and stared at the last sentence he wrote. He rested his chin on his hands and hummed slightly.

“Can you look at this to see if it makes sense?” He asked Keith. Lance was ready to just slide the laptop to him, but Keith stood. He walked around to his side and bent at the knees to see the screen.  _ He smells so good _ . Lance noted.

“It sort of does, but you could add this…” He lifted his arms to type. He was so close. His arm brushed lightly into Lance’s shoulder and it made him shiver. Did Keith know he was doing this to him? It never occured to Lance that this guy might actually be doing everything on purpose. Keith always seemed to be so close. During tutoring sessions, he scooches his chair closer. At the cafe he sits closer and closer each time. Lance couldn’t imagine how much closer they could get, and he wasn’t sure if he minded or not.

“Does that look okay?” Lance pulled himself out of the trance and looked back to the screen.

“Yeah, thanks.”

~~~

Shiro was not what Lance expected. Tall? Yeah. Attractive? No way. Lance expected the type of big brother that lounged in his brother’s apartment and took advantage of the free plumbing. He expected a guy somewhat resembling Keith. Skinny, short, and bad hair. Shiro was tall, muscular, and not a trace of a mullet. The only way Lance could tell they probably lived together for a while was by their body movement and facial expressions. Other than that, it was impossible. Keith always had his arms crossed and had a general ‘don’t talk to me’ kind of vibe. Shiro reminded Lance of a puppy. No, a police dog. Same species, but trained and much cooler. He was open to conversation and had a warm smile.

When Shiro held out his left arm to shake Lance’s hand, Lance decided he would like this guy for reasons more than bringing him free food. Watching the siblings bicker back and forth was like a free dinner-and-a-show.

“I did not wet the bed when I was six.”

“You totally did. We shared a room.”

“No. You were the one who wet your bed.”

“Keith, I’m six years older than you. Would I really be wetting the bed at age 12?”

“I don’t think you want me to answer that.” They would all laugh and eat their greasy tacos. 

“So, Lance.” Shiro started. There was a sudden shift in conversation. It went from light hearted to confrontational in the snap of a finger. “How are your classes going?” he asked. It could easily be a simple question, but the way Keith held his breath and the way Shiro kept his gaze locked on Lance made it almost like an investigation.

“Well, uh, my biology class is a breeze now.”

“That’s good, is that the one Keith is helping you with?”

“Yeah.”  _ Didn’t you sign him up as a tutor? _ Keith cleared his throat and snapped Shiro out of his investigation.

“We’ve started to branch out to different classes.” Keith said. Shiro raised an eyebrow.

“And you do all of that in an hour?” Keith flinched.

“Well, um, no, not technically-”

“I go to the coffee shop he works at sometimes, and we work on stuff during his breaks.” Lance interrupted. Keith held his breath again.  _ What is going on?? _ Shiro nodded slowly and smiled like he approved.  _ Approved of what?? _

“That’s good. Well,” he bunched up his taco wrapper, “I’ve gotta get going. Allura and I are seeing a movie.” He announced.

“Oh, what movie?” Lance asked.

“Hmm, the new Thor movie. I can’t remember what it’s called.” 

“Oh! Ragnarok. I heard it was really good.”

“Really? I hope you’re right. It was nice meeting you.” Shiro waved and that’s when he noticed it. Shiro’s right arm was a prosthetic. He had been with them for nearly an hour, and Lance was just noticing. He waved back and Keith led his brother to the door.

 

~~~Keith~~~

Keith should have known Shiro would do it, but it still shocked him when he started interviewing Lance. He couldn’t have been the only one to notice it. At least he seemed satisfied at the end. Lance probably didn’t know that Shiro was trying to see if he approved or disapproved of him. It shouldn’t matter, but apparently a brother’s approval is everything. Keith’s legs were starting to stiffen from sitting so long. He desperately wanted to stretch or even go to bed. Lance raised his arms high above his head to stretch, revealing his bare midriff. He let out a groan and Keith turned away slightly pink.

“Yup. I don’t want to look at this essay anymore.” Lance closed his laptop and yawned. Keith looked back.

“You sure you’ll be able to finish it in time?”

“Yeah, I’ve got some time before work.” He said. Keith nodded and looked back at his computer. Lance would be leaving soon. Would it be so bad to invite him over again? Keith was getting too comfortable having another person in his apartment.

“Man, I can’t wait to see that movie Shiro was talking about. It got super good reviews.” Keith nodded. He had no idea the movie even came out.

“Do you like Marvel movies?” Lance asked.

“I don’t think I’ve ever watched one.” He admitted. Lance gasped and caused Keith to flinch. He leaned in closer.

“How have you  _ never _ seen a Marvel movie? The franchise is insanely good. Captain America? Thor?  _ Iron Man? _ ” 

“Nope. Not a single one.” Lance shook his head in disbelief. He made a  _ tsk tsk _ sound and re-opened his laptop.

“Well, we’re gonna have to change that.” He started. Keith was starting to sweat.

“What does that mean?” Lance ignored his question and pushed the laptop between them. He scooched his chair closer to the center and motioned for Keith to join him. Keith reluctantly scooched closer until their chairs were touching. The opening scene showed Robert Downey Jr. speaking in a crowd. Keith side-eyed Lance.

“Is this Iron Man?” Lance shushed him. There was an explosion. Keith missed the context, but he could guess what happened. His legs were really starting to ache. Lance interrupted his thoughts.

“Do you have somewhere more comfortable to watch this? Like a couch?” He asked. Keith lowered his head and frowned.

“Not really.” Lance sighed.

“What about a bed? You’ve gotta have one of those.” Keith perked up and looked at Lance. He was paying attention to the movie, but his leg was bouncing and his hands were fidgeting at the bottom of his shirt.  _ Is he nervous? _

“Yeah, I have one. There’s an outlet near it so this could work.” Keith stood and Lance paused the movie. There wasn’t a tv in his apartment, so they had to just continue on the computer screen. It’s not like Keith doesn’t spend hours watching shows on his laptop in bed. As Lance followed Keith into his bedroom, Keith realized an issue too late. He opened the door to the twin-sized mattress sitting in the middle of the room with the wall as the headrest.  _ Shit _ .

“Uh, we can make this work.” Lance started. He walked to the mattress and crouched down near the wall to plug in his laptop. He moved the single pillow up against the wall and sat on the left side of the bed with his back against the wall. Lance patted the space next to him and motioned for Keith to join him. Keith gulped and turned off the light. The illumination from the screen was their only light. Keith made his way slowly to Lance’s side. They had to be squished next to each other in order for them both to be on the bed. Keith sat in silence.

“So, uh, this is the first Marvel movie I watched. Don’t worry, the movies get better over the years.” Lance said.

“Do you have all the movies?”

“Most of them. I don't have the Incredible Hulk, but that one wasn't too good anyways.” Keith nodded and tried to concentrate on the movie. The laptop rested on top of both of their knees. RDJ was now in a pretty dirty place trying to build some weird machine. Keith was afraid to even breathe. Lance was just so  _ close _ . He was warm, too. It wasn’t like he was extremely hot and sweaty, but it was like a nice warmth.  _ What am I even thinking? He’s a human. Get over it. _ They both sat there for another hour and finally finished the movie. Once the credits started rolling, Lance stretched his legs out as far as he could.

“Soooo…. What did ya think?” He asked. Keith was too distracted by Lance’s exposed stomach to reply quick enough. He looked away.  _ Just look at the wall. It’s a nice wall. _

“Uh, it was good. I liked the fighting.” Lance laughed.

“Yeah, I guess you could say it was action packed.” He joked. Keith stood to turn his light on.

“Ah, well, it’s getting late. Are you too tired to drive home?”

“No,no. I’ll be okay.” Lance closed his laptop and took a while to get up. He stretched one more time before heading out of the room with Keith. He stopped.

“Thank you so much for all the help. As a gift, you should join me and Hunk to see the new Thor movie. I’ll buy the ticket and popcorn.” He said with a smile and broadened shoulders. Despite his tired eyes, he resembled a Superhero.

“But I haven’t seen the first two.” His composure immediately deflated.

“Oh. Right. Well, I was thinking we could maybe, if you want, uhhh…” Lance was fidgeting with his shirt again. He was looking at the ground away from Keith. “I have both movies, so we could watch them together another time.” Keith raised his eyebrows.  _ Oh? _

“Oh. Yeah. We could.” A smile was creeping onto his lips.

“Is tomorrow okay?”

“Yeah.” 

“Same time?”

“Yeah.”


	6. Chapter 6

~~~Keith~~~

“You guys are already going on  _ dates _ ?” Matt said incredulously from the passenger seat. Keith kicked from the back middle seat and shushed him.

“It’s not a date! His friend is coming with.” Keith explained quietly as Shiro approached the driver side of the car. Matt shot Keith a wink before he opened the door with a tray of slurpees in his hand.

“Sorry, Matt. Their blue raspberry flavor was out of order, so I got you cherry.” Shiro apologized. Any trace of teasing left Matt’s voice as his face sunk in disappointment.

“Are you kidding me?? What the shit am I supposed to do with cherry?”

“Maybe you could act your age.” Keith chortled.

“ _ MaYbE yOu CoULd AcT yOuR aGe, _ ” Matt mocked, “who let this guy in here?”

“You invited me.”

“Damn.” He slurped his drink in silent discontent as Shiro passed Keith his drink. As they pulled out of the 7-11 parking lot, Shiro spoke up.

“So, Keith.”

“Shiro.”

“Did you want to come over later for some Cards Against Humanity?” He asked. Matt’s straw made a popping noise as he opened his mouth to answer for Keith.

“KEITH HAS A DATE.” He shouted at Shiro; the man two feet away from him. Keith saw Shiro’s eyebrow raise through the rearview mirror, and he groaned.

“Keith?”

“It’s not a date. Matt’s just being stupid. I’m going with some friends to see a movie.” He explained with his face in his hand.

“Ah okay.” Shiro said flatly. Conversation over. Good. Barely a minute passed before Shiro spoke up again.

“Which friends?”  _ Uggghhhhhhhhh. _

“Lancey-Lance.” Matt singsonged. Cue another kick from Keith. As much as Keith wanted to gush over Lance, it didn’t feel right to do it in front of his brother. They weren’t even dating. Yet. The past few nights were incredibly lazy and amazing for Keith. Him and Lance managed to catch all the way up to the new Thor movie by bingeing the movies in Keith’s room. Lance brought snacks and more pillows. Keith was surprised when Lance was actually happy to return to the barren apartment.

_ We wouldn’t be able to watch a movie in peace at my house _ he said with an armful of candy. Each night made Keith more and more nervous as Lance became familiar with the apartment and lack of personal space. He couldn't shake the image of Lance in his bed; long legs and-

“Yo, Keith?” Matt snapped him out of his daze. His slurpee drink dripped onto his pants and he winced.

“Sorry, what?”

“What movie are you guys seeing?” Shiro repeated.

“Ragnarok.” Keith replied. Shiro made a turn into Keith’s apartment parking lot and made an approving nod.

“Wait, you’re into Marvel movies now?” Matt questioned.

“Uh… yes?”

“Since when?? Pidge and I have been trying to suck you into it for years!”

“Since Lance, apparently.” Shiro muttered with a smirk on his face. Keith nudged the back door open as soon as the car came to a stop.

“OOOOOOOHHH HE GOT YOU!!” Matt shouted, spilling cherry slurpee onto his chin. Keith shook his head as they drove off with the radio music bass boosted. As he unlocked his apartment and settled in, his phone buzzed.

**_From Lance:_ **

**_Yooo, so Hunk and I will pick you up at 6:30, okay?_ **

Keith typed back a ‘sounds good’ and headed for the shower. He couldn’t help feeling the slight disappointment at the mention of his friend. Hunk seems like a great guy, but Keith would rather have it just be them. Like usual. Keith could handle Shiro and Matt, but hanging out with more than one stranger made him a little uneasy. He tried to shake the negative thoughts out of his wet hair and continued the shower.

~~~

Lance pulled into the parking lot at 6:25, and Keith was already standing there waiting. He pulled open the back door, and settled in. They were playing an upbeat song by a band that Keith never heard of and argued.

“Deadpool is hot, you can suck my whole ass.” Lance said as Keith shut the door.

“I never said he wasn’t! I’m just saying he’s got a lot of baggage.” Hunk said defensively while holding his phone. Before Keith could utter a greeting, Hunk turned in the passenger seat and held his phone inches away from Keith’s face. It was a picture of Deadpool without his mask.

“Would you smash?” Hunk asked with a deadpan look on his face. Keith stuttered for a moment.

“I uh. Well he. It’s Ryan Reynolds. I can’t exactly say no to that.” He admitted.

“YES! THANK YOU, KEITH.” Lance shouted as he made a turn.

“You got me there.” Hunk laughed to himself.

The drive to the theater was filled with jokes, more arguments about male celebrities, and some GPS confusion. Once they finally arrived and got their popcorn, Keith could relax a little. The doubts he had about Hunk vanished. He was funny and incredibly nice. It was easy to see why him and Lance were good friends. They found three empty seats in the crowded room and settled in. Hunk, then Lance, then Keith. Keith couldn't remember the last time he went to see a movie with people that weren’t his brother or Matt.

Once the movie started, Keith started to regret turning down Lance’s offer to buy him popcorn. Out of habit, he reached over to Lance’s bag and grabbed a few pieces. Lance gave him a playful side-eye and smirked. Keith could feel his cheeks burn as Lance moved the bag closer between them. It was almost too good to be true how close they were getting.

About halfway through the movie, Keith noticed Lance’s hand resting gently near the cupholders. It was just far enough to be in Keith’s personal space. He couldn’t help but stare at it a few moments, and notice it inch closer to his own hand. He tried to tear his gaze away back to the movie, but Lance’s bouncing leg kept him distracted. Thor said something about snakes on screen, and the whole theater laughed. At that moment, Lance’s pinky finger brushed Keith’s knuckle. It all felt so silly. Like they were in middle school or something. Sweat started to form at his forehead.  _ Do I want this? Am I even ready for a relationship? _ Keith jerked his arm away and shoved his hand in the popcorn bag. He didn’t dare look at Lance as he stuffed a fistfull in his mouth.  _ A relationship? With Lance? Not possible. Nopenopenope. _ From the corner of his eye, he could see Lance’s arm shrink back to his side. Thor said another joke on screen, but Lance didn’t laugh along.

Keith could feel the regret starting to boil in his stomach. He wanted to be with Lance, but the state of his emotions seemed to prevent it.  _ How can I date Lance if I work two jobs and have zero friends? What if I make him angry? What if he ends up hating me? _ Keith didn’t want to risk losing his new friend, so he watched the rest of the movie with an uncomfortable tension building between them.

After the credits rolled and the after credits scene played, they all stood. Hunk stretched and smiled.

“That was so good. I didn’t think it would be that funny.” He commented. Keith just nodded.

“Yeah, it was good.” Lance agreed quietly, and they headed out. Hunk didn’t seem to notice the awkward tension building in the car ride home. Or maybe he did, and he just wanted to leave it alone. The drive home involved less talking, and more listening to the music. Keith still couldn’t recognize the band. He stared out the window with his arm propped up and argued with himself the whole way back.  _ You can’t date someone if you have some walls up. It’s not fair to them. But what if he’s okay with that? You can’t just assume he’ll be okay with it. Just stop.  _ The car rolled to a stop and Keith exited the car. Hunk rolled down his window and gave a bright smile.

“It was awesome hanging out with you! I’ll see you in lecture?”

“Yeah. See you.” He said. Lance wasn’t even looking in his direction. He had both hands on the wheel, and his head forward.

“Bye!!!” Hunk waved as they pulled into the street. Keith stood in the dark parking lot and waited until he couldn’t see the taillights of the car. He climbed the stairs to his apartment and stepped inside. It was still empty. He set his keys on the counter and stepped to his open window. It was so cold out, Lance would be shivering. Lance.  _ You can’t be like this. You don’t deserve someone like him. _ He looked down at his already bruised knuckles and clenched his fist. Why couldn’t he just be happy? Why did it all feel so impossible? He lifted his arm and swung his fist hard against the wall. His vision immediately went white with pain and he yelled.  _ Stupidstupidstupid _ . He looked up at the dent he made and felt hot tears starting to form. He really messed up.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey! It's been a while (6 months I believe lol). I recently went back and reread this fic, and I realized that I still want to finish it. I may or may not rewrite the first chapter because, in my opinion, it sucks a little.  
> Thank you so much for sticking with me, and let's hope I keep a steady posting schedule :):)


	7. Chapter 7

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm finally gonna finish this fic. Sorry for the sad cliff-hanger before lol

~~~Lance~~~

Things were going so well, or so it seemed. Maybe Lance was reading the signals wrong. Were there even any signals? His leg bounced as he waited in the lecture. The movie was Saturday. Now it’s Tuesday, and there still wasn’t a single text from Keith all weekend. Lance worked Monday night, so there was no way he could visit him at the coffee shop. The professor was going on about important material for the exam, but Lance couldn’t grasp the motivation to even pick up a pencil. Maybe Keith was having a bad day?  _ Did I come on too strong? _ Just two more hours until their tutoring session.

As Lance entered the library, the familiarity of it all relieved him. Matt smiling at the front desk, students worrying about homework, and groups working on projects. He walked to their usual tutoring table and sat down. As he pulled the books out of his bag, a thought bursted its way from the depths.  _ What if Keith doesn’t show up? _ It’s two minutes from when Keith usually shows up, and Lance is starting to get really anxious. Then the two minutes pass. He’s late. five minutes go by. Then ten. Lance looked up at someone coming through the stairwell door, but it was just some random professor. He tried to hide his disappointment, but made eye contact with Matt. It was the same anxious expression.  _ God, this is so embarrassing. _ Lance jerked his arm forward and opened the biology textbook with a little more force than needed.  _ Might as well do something _ . It wasn't as easy to concentrate without Keith, but Lance could still get some studying done using his tips. As the hour went by, Lance stopped looking everytime someone opened the doors. With ten minutes left until his time was up, a shadow casted over his books. He looked up.

“Hey.” Keith said flatly. His wet hair clung to his neck and his white t shirt was practically see through from all of the sweat. It should have been gross, but Lance couldn't help being reminded of a classic cheesy romance paperback cover. The oiled up man with a lady resting her head on his pecks. But this wasn't oil. It was sweat.

“Hey?” Lance said. Keith shifted like he thought about sitting down, but decided against it and stood his ground.

“I'm really sorry about not showing up. I thought we were cancelling, so I didn't check my phone until after mowing some-”

“What do you mean cancelling?” Lance interrupted. Keith looked at the ground and scratched the back of his head.

“Our last tutoring session was last week. We agreed to cancel at the end of the month, remember?” A girl dropped a book a few tables over, but Lance didn't even flinch at the sound. He just stared at Keith as the library fell into an unusual hush.

“Okay.” Lance agreed flatly.

“Alright.” Keith nodded. And as fast as he got there, he left. He never even turned to look at Matt. He just left.

~~~

Minutes after Keith, Lance abandoned his table at the library to rush to his car. He couldn’t handle the contrast of the quiet environment and his screaming head.

_ I thought it would be okay. _

As Lance drove to work that night, he glanced at the highway exit to the coffee shop across from the university. So close.

_ Why did I think it would be okay? _ As Lance served trays of food in his black and white uniform, he couldn’t help but look at the front entrance every now and then. Maybe he’ll burst in and apologize.

_ Apologize for what? It’s not his fault I’m unlikeable. _ As the night swallowed the sun, and Lance was long gone in his bed, he stared at the ceiling covered in tiny plastic stars. He could feel the emptiness next to his side and in his chest.

~~~Keith~~~

It's been a few days since the last time Keith has seen lance, but it felt like months. He could try and not think about him, but Lance was everywhere. Lance was the cute guy at coffee shop. The smiling girl at the counter. The heat in the autumn sun. The refreshing breeze in the afternoon. Keith could swear Lance was always standing behind him, waiting to greet him. But every time he turned around or glanced over, there was nothing. Just an emptiness that not even Matt or Shiro could fill.

_ This is stupid. _ Keith thought as his face grimaced at the unusually bright sun in october. He shoved the lawnmower for another few yards and finally shut it down for the day.

_ I shouldn't be upset. I deserve this. _ He thought. Later that night his phone buzzed next to him on his bed.

Text from: Shiro

**_Matt and I are getting some food. We’ll be at your place in 10_ **

Keith immediately responded

Sent to: Shiro

**_No. I’m not home._ **

Shiro:

**_Oh?_ **

Keith:

**_Yes._ **

Shiro:

**_Are you with Lance?_ **

Keith:

**_No. I took an extra shift at the coffee shop tonight._ **

Shiro:

**_Okay._ **

Okay? Usually Shiro has lots more to say. Stuff like “you’re working yourself too hard!” Or “Buy shoes with better support!” But there was none of that. Maybe he was driving. Keith threw his phone back onto the ground next to him and brought the laptop up to his chest. He was freshly showered and not planning on going anywhere all night. No Shiro. No Matt. No Lance. He angrily clicked the play button and continued his Sharknado marathon.

He thought watching terrible shark gore would make him feel better, and it did. Somewhat. He didn’t feel as bad about the Lance situation, but he didn’t feel happy. Maybe just numb. About fifteen minutes into the movie, Keith heard a knock at the end of the hallway. He paused the movie and slipped on some pants. As he opened the door, he felt angry at himself for hoping it was Lance. He flinched in surprise. It was Shiro.

“What are you doing here?!” Was all he could muster at his brother. Shiro just stood there.

“I should ask you the same question.” They stared at each other for a minute before Keith finally gave in and let Shiro inside.

“How did you know I was here?” Keith asked as he shut the door behind him. Shiro slipped off his beanie and leaned against the kitchen counter.

“Matt and I were at the coffee place when I texted you.” He said. Keith’s ears burned red and he looked at the floor.

“Keith?”

“ _ What? _ ”

“What’s going on? You haven’t been answering my texts and I haven’t seen you in like a week.” Shiro asked laced with concern. Keith kept his arms crossed.

“I’ve been busy.” He said. Shiro huffed and pulled out his phone.

“Really? Because according to Netflix, you’ve been-”

“Would you stop that? Why does it matter if it’s been a week? We don’t live together anymore. I have my own life. Just stay out of it.” Keith snapped. He finally met Shiro’s eyes and instantly regret it. It was like looking at a disappointed father.

“Keith. I’m more than just your brother. I’m your friend. Matt’s your friend. We want to make sure you’re okay.”

“You guys aren't my friends. You only hang out with me out of pity. No one actually wants me around, they just feel like they have to invite me.” Keith said. Shiro stared in shock.

“You don’t really think that.”

“Of course I do! Why  _ would _ anyone want to be with me? I don’t make people happy.”

“Don’t say that. You make me ha-”

“WHEN HAVE I  _ EVER  _ MADE YOU HAPPY, SHIRO?!” Keith yelled. It seemed to echo throughout the apartment. Shiro stopped leaning against the counter and stood taller with more authority. Keith was expecting the lecture. A slap in the face. Anything he deserved. But Shiro just walked calmly to the door. He opened it and took one look at Keith.

“You need to rethink what you said.” He finished and left. Keith stood shivering in his kitchen and felt close to tears. When was the last time he yelled at Shiro like that? Maybe when they were kids, but never with any real anger. Keith walked to his open window and slammed it shut. When has Shiro ever enjoyed Keith’s presence? Sure, they’re brothers, but that doesn’t mean they have to like each other. Keith didn't bother turning the lights out this time. He went straight to his bed and continued the awful gorey movie.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhh!!!!! Sorry, it's still a lil' sad!!! But I want to thank you so much for reading. Seriously, I love each and every kudos and comment like they're my babies. Ya'll make me feel special. <3 <3  
> I promise I will upload the next chapters soon (they're already written!!!), I just need to make some final touches and procrastinate my homework lol.  
> Stay great <3
> 
> (talk to me on tumblr!!! I love attention and klance!!!)


	8. Chapter 8

~~~Lance~~~

It was early morning on a saturday, and Lance was in the university coffee shop sitting across from Hunk. There were less students this time, but the air was colder. Hunk tapped away at his keyboard and Lance stared into his coffee cup. Brown. Sugary. Gross. Lance heard a smack and he flinched. He looked up at Hunk with his laptop closed and eyes fixed on him.

“Dude, what has been up with you lately?”

“What?”

“You’ve been down in the dumps for weeks. What happened to you and Keith?” He asked. Lance flinched at Keith’s name and looked back into his coffee.

“Nothing happened.” He said. Hunk let out a long sigh and slid his arms across the table to grab Lance’s wrists. He shook them slightly to get his attention.

“Buddy, I miss you. Just tell me what happened.” He said. Lance looked down at their hands connected and mentally thanked the world for giving him such an amazing best friend.

“I think Keith hates me.”

“Why would he hate you?”

“I'm unlikeable?”

“What? What makes you think that?”

“Um. Keith  _ hates _ me?.” Lance said with a smirk, but Hunk didn't smile back. He gave a hard stare.

“How do you know that Keith hates you?”

“He stopped talking to me, and he cancelled our tutoring sessions. He's avoiding me, but I don't know why.”

“Didn't you guys agree to cancel your tutoring sessions at the end of the month?” Hunk asked.

“Yeah, but that was before…”

“Before what?” Hunk encouraged. Lance exhaled and covered his face with his hands.

“Before I fell in love with him.” Lance admitted with tense shoulders. This wasn’t something he wanted to talk about in a public space.

“Lance, listen to me: I really think you and Keith should talk before you decide anything. You don’t know he hates you. Do you think maybe he’s just scared?”

“Scared of what?”

“Commitment? Relationships? Love?”

“Uuughhhh. I don’t know how to talk to him about this stuff.” Lance groaned. Hunk opened his laptop again and started clicking.

“That’s what I’m here for. Now,” He typed as he spoke, “let’s start with the beginning. When did you first know you liked him?” Hunk turned his laptop to face Lance. There was a blank document open titled  _ Getting Keith Back 101. _

~~~ Keith~~~

Keith’s finger hovered over the spacebar on his keyboard. He debated either going to bed or watching yet another episode of Unsolved Mysteries. The crust in his sleepy eyes cracked when he blinked. It was almost four in the morning, and he had to work at nine. Just as he was about to stab his finger at the play button, a knock came from down the hall. He froze. Maybe watching all those crime stories was a bad idea so late in the night. He didn’t even bother slipping on pants this time. He crept slowly down the hall and stared at the door. Another knock came from behind.

“Who is it?” He demanded from the other side. A voice came through weakly.

“Keith? Is that you?” It wasn’t Matt or Shiro, but it was a masculine voice. Could it be Lance? Maybe Hunk? Keith wasn’t even sure he could remember Hunk’s voice. Keith peered through the peephole and nearly fell over. He didn’t even hesitate to pull the door open and let his apartment light wash over the person in front of him.

“Adam?”

~~~

After a pot of coffee was brewed and Keith retrieved some pants, Adam and Keith settled in the kitchen at the small table.

“So how you been, Keith?”

“Uhhh good I think.”

“Really.” Adam said accusingly.

“How have you been?”

“I’m fine. I’ve been working on my PHD, so I’m really busy.” He said taking a sip. Keith’s eyebrows rose. Adam and Shiro were the most serious couple Keith knew until they broke up more than a year ago. They seemed to have ended it on good terms, but any mention of Adam shut Shiro off like a switch. Keith thought it was the distance that broke them up, but there was a possibility it was something more.

“Then what are you doing here?”

“Oh, you know. I highly enjoy making a six hour drive out of nowhere to see my ex’s little brother half naked at four in the morning.” Adam said. Keith gave a blank stare.

“Okay. I’ll cut the bullshit. Shiro and I have been talking.”

“Oh?”

“About you.”

“Oh.”

“He said you’ve been watching Sharknado? The tragically beautiful series of guts and glory? Who showed you that awful movie series in the first place?”

“You.” Keith stifled a smile.

“That’s right. And that was when you were going through a real tough time. Your dog, Puppy, died.”

“Yeah.”

“Keith.” he said to grab his attention. Keith finally looked up to meet Adam’s dark, tired eyes.

“Tell me what’s wrong.” Keith wanted to yell and cry at the same time. Frustration had been eating at him the past few weeks, and he wanted so badly to let it all go.  _ Why do I keep hiding? I don't want to do that anymore _ . 

When Shiro and Keith would argue until the yelling had reached its peak, Adam would be calm and controlled. He didn’t tolerate bickering between blood. He seemed to settle their fights in a maternal way. Keith let out a long sigh and let his eyes droop to his hands around a coffee mug.

“There was this guy.” He started. Keith told him everything. He never admitted his crush on Lance out loud, so it felt strange and real when he did to Adam. He could feel the weight on his shoulders lift as the hour passed. Adam listened and nodded at the right moments. When Keith finally finished, Adam reached out to Keith’s shaking hands. He steadied them and spoke.

“This was never your fault. We need to start by accepting that.” He instructed. Keith just nodded as the tears in his eyes clouded his vision.

“You are not a cold person. You are kind and sweet. I know this.” He continued. Keith let out a shaky breath and sniffled.

“Am I? I’ve cut everyone out of my life. Why would anyone like that deserve a relationship?”

“You need to stop thinking negatively. Look at why you’ve isolated yourself. You said you didn’t want to hurt anyone. Even though you are wrong about that, you had good intentions. You wanted to protect everyone else. Is that so wrong?”

“So you’re saying it’s okay for me to isolate myself?”

“I’m saying that your reaction is normal. That doesn’t mean it was the best thing to do.”

“So what should I do? I don’t know what to do anymore.”

“I know it seems impossible to get out of this isolation, but it’s not. Everyone has a future. It’s up to each individual to figure out how to get there, but that doesn’t mean they have to do it alone.” Adam assured. He squeezed Keith’s hand, and in that moment, Keith could relax. Someone knew his story, and they didn’t hate him for it. Adam would be there for him.

“Now,” Adam looked at the watch on his wrist, “It is the ass-crack of dawn, and I need somewhere to crash. You have, like, no furniture, so I’m gonna head over to Shiro’s place. I’m gonna call you later, okay?”

“Yeah. Sure.” Keith led him to the door and opened it for him.

“Adam? Thank you.” He said. Adam gave a sympathetic smile and left. Keith had a few hours to sleep and get his much needed rest, but he was wide awake at this point. He knew what he wanted to do. He was finally going to talk to Lance about this ugly mess. He was finally going to let someone love him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Haha!!! I know i'm a little late, but I did it!!! I updated in a week at a reasonable time of day!  
> Thank you so much for reading this far, I love all of you :):):)


	9. Chapter 9

~~~ Lance~~~

“Okay, Keith works every Thursday night for sure. I  _ will  _ go to the coffee shop, and I  _ will  _ talk to him during his break.” Lance said with fresh confidence. Him and Hunk were in Hunk’s car in the parking lot of the community college just finishing the school week.

“You sure you don’t wanna do that when he’s not working?” Hunk asked.

“Nah, Thursdays are slow. Plus, I need to talk to him before I mentally back out.” Lance’s leg bounced steadily as he tried to calm himself. He kept his phone out in case he needed to review the five page document he and Hunk made the other day. It was an organized fool-proof plan on how Lance could communicate his feelings for Keith. They planned out possible responses and confidence boosters. They had worked out Plan A through Z in one night. They were now initiating Plan A; Talk to Keith about recent events as soon as possible.

Hunk pulled out of the parking lot and turned the music up. Whether it calmed Lance or not, it didn’t show. He nibbled at his nails and looked out the window.

“You sure you don’t want to go straight to Plan F and text him? How do you know he’ll be there?” Hunk asked.

“Nope. We haven’t texted each other in like a month. Doing that would interrupt the element of surprise. I want him to see me and only be able to say what’s on his mind. Plus, we barely texted before the movie. It was mainly verbal stuff for us.” Lance went on. As Hunk pulled into the coffee shop’s parking lot, Lance gulped hard. He wiped the sweat off his hands and opened the car door. Hunk rolled down the window and shouted.

“You want me to come in?”

“No, no. I can do this. It’ll be quick.” Lance said before opening the door and stepping inside. The difference in temperature was a shock. Fall had been around for a while, but Lance was too distracted to notice the changing weather. He took in his surroundings and thanked the world for an empty building. Lance wasn’t sure whether to be relieved or disappointed that Keith wasn’t at the counter. It was a random girl he had never met.

“Hey, is Keith here?” Lance asked. He was completely ready. Keith was probably on break in the back enjoying the calmness of the night, and Lance was here to interrupt it. The girl barely looked up from her phone screen to reply.

“He’s not here tonight.” She said.

“Excuse me?”

“He called in sick.”

“Sick?”

“Yeah? Can I get you anything?” She asked. Lance shook his head and looked toward the back room in disbelief. He had to be back there. Maybe she was lying. He huffed in frustration when he noticed the back room’s light was off. She was the only one here.

“Do you have any idea where he might be, hypothetically speaking, if he weren’t sick?”

~~~ Keith ~~~

According to the online map, there were three banquet halls near the community college. Keith scoured the websites’ pictures for any hint that Lance worked at any of these locations. He had no clue where Lance lived, but maybe he would be working. He shivered in the heat-less company truck and wiped at his leaking nostrils. His thumb was starting to go numb when he saw it. A picture of the employees wearing penguin suits. Keith remembered Lance complaining about the bowties. Keith also remembered fantasizing taking the bowtie off for Lance. He entered the address into his phone and sputtered the truck to life. When he got to the hall, he immediately approached the front desk. There were over a hundred kids and parents celebrating a high school sports final team dinner. The man at the desk looked older, and a little out of it. His orange moustache danced as he spoke.

“Hello! Are you here for the cross country banquet?” He asked with sincere curiosity. Keith shook his head and choked on what he wanted to say.  _ Where is Lance? _

“Um. Does a Lance work here? Lance McClain?” He asked.

“Why, yes! He does!”

“Great!”

“Yes!” The man smiled. Keith waited for him to pull Lance right out from under the desk, but the man didn’t move.

“Can you… get him?” Keith continued.

“Oh, no. He’s not working tonight.”

“He’s not?”

“Nope.”

“Can you tell me when he’s coming in next?” Keith asked. The man’s vibe instantly changed. His moustache fell into an frown and his eyes darkened.

“If Lance wanted you to find him, he would give you his schedule. I can’t give that information to a stranger.” He warned. It was like Keith chose the absolute worst conversation option in a video game. He silently wished real life had save points. He held up his hands in defense.

“I’m not a stranger! I just  _ really _ need to talk to him.”

“That is none of my concern.”

“Do you know where I could find him? Like, if he’s not working? Does he live nearby?” Now it really felt like Keith was choosing the worst conversation options. The man stood and held a posture so intimidating that Keith had to step back.

“If you don’t stop asking personal information about our employees, I will have to contact security.” He said. Keith’s cheeks flushed red and he turned on his heel. He did not want to face his brother from the other side of jail cell bars that night. He hopped back into his truck and rested his head on the steering wheel. The heat on his cheeks warmed him up enough to stop shivering.  _ How can I find Lance without asking him where he is? _

After a moment of the sound of cars passing by, Keith shot up from his position and turned the key in the ignition.  _ Librarians  _ have _ to know something _ , he thought as he pulled onto the road.

~~~ Lance ~~~

Lance didn’t even let Hunk’s car come to a stop when he opened the door. They pulled up to Keith’s apartment complex as the sun started to dip below the trees.

“Lance! What are we doing?!” Hunk yelled as Lance ran to the door.

“PLAN G, HUNK!” Lance yelled as he opened the car door. He ran up the stairs as if his life depended on it. When he finally reached Keith’s door, he paused to catch his breath. He knocked and waited. And waited. And waited. Knocked again and waited.

“Shit.” Lance pressed his ear to the door and heard nothing. No laptop blaring Marvel movies, no noodles being cooked on the stove, and no water running from a shower after work. He ran back down the stairs and took his seat in the passenger side of Hunk’s car.

“Well?” Hunk asked. Lance rubbed his hands together and huffed warm air into them.

“Not home.”

“Damn. You wanna just go home?”

“No. I  _ have _ to do it tonight.” Lance declared.

“Okay. Plan H?”

“No.” Lance looked around for any clues of Keith’s whereabouts. He didn’t have Shiro’s number, so Plan T was out. If only there was a way to contact Keith without actually contacting him. Across the street was an elderly couple walking out of a library together. The place must have been closing at this hour. Lance stopped bouncing his leg. Hunk noticed the sudden shift and started the car.

“Where to, Loverboy?”

“University libraries are open late, right?”

“Yeah. The Garrison one closes at two.”

“Perfect. I think I know a night owl that might know Keith’s location.” Lance said. Hunk smirked.

“You sound so stalker-ish; I love it.” He pulled out of the parking lot and back onto the freeway.

~~~ Keith~~~

“What do you mean you can’t tell me??” Keith yelled in the empty library. Matt was peacefully napping at the front desk upstairs when Keith barged in demanding Lance’s address.

“I could get myself fired for giving you that kind of information! And keep your voice down! We are in  _ a fucking library _ .” Matt yelled. Keith removed his fists from the desks and crossed his arms.

“Matt, if you don’t tell me, I  _ will _ find out myself.” Keith threatened, but Matt didn’t budge. He just crossed his arms in response and adjusted his glasses. The glare it made aided his secretive facade.

“Oh yeah? How you gonna do that,  _ asshat? _ ” Matt challenged. They held an intense gaze for a moment. Keith broke it by reaching across the desk to spin Matt’s chair away from the computer. In Matt’s state of confusion, Keith turned the computer screen towards him.

“Wait!” Matt yelled, but he was too late. Keith was too shocked to continue his raid.

“You seriously watch anime while you work?” He said almost amused. Once Matt fully turned his chair around, he grabbed the mouse of Keith’s hand and exited his paused show.

“There’s literally no one here. I do what I want, bitch.” He said. Keith let out a laugh and didn’t look away from the screen. Matt had the library circulation tab still open. He slowly looked over to the mouse in Matt’s hand and waited a second before striking again. Matt screeched when Keith squeezed his wrist with one hand and yanked the mouse from his with the other. Keith somehow held off Matt’s various blows to his head as he navigated the screen.  _ How do I even find Lance in this thing? _

Keith let his guard down too soon and Matt hit his nose.

“Ow! Matt,  _ what the- _ ” but Matt shut him up by slapping his hand around his mouth. Keith let go of the mouse to wrestle Matt’s hands away from him. His years as a younger brother started to show as he pushed Matt away from him. But Matt had years of experience being an older brother. He was too strong. He stood from the chair and started to push Keith off of the desk.

“I have the power of God  _ and  _ anime on my - EW! DID YOU JUST LICK MY HAND??” Matt yelled, but Keith used this opening to grab the mouse again.

“NONONO.” Matt yelled repeatedly as he grabbed Keith’s arm. They were in a lock up when a door opened behind them. Matt and Keith immediately froze in their complicated position.

“Uhh. Should I come back later, or…?” The voice faltered. Keith let go of Matt to bolt upright and turn to face the voice. Of all situations possible, he had to see this one.

“Lance.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ssssoooooo. This is probably gonna be 11 chapters instead of 10. In a way, this is good news, right??  
> Thank you so much for reading, this chapter was probably my favorite to write. I hope you enjoyed it!!!  
> (Talk to me on tumblr!! I'm lonely!!)
> 
> See you next week <3


	10. Chapter 10

~~~ Lance ~~~ 

When Lance arrived at the library, he wasn’t expecting to actually find Keith. He just wanted to see if Matt was working that night. His question was answered as soon as he opened the door and saw the extremely pathetic fight in front of him. Keith’s arm wrapped around Matt’s neck while Matt had a tight grasp around Keith’s waist.

“Keith? What are you doing here?” He started. Keith glanced back at Matt and attempted to fix the many hairs sticking up from his head.

“Um. Well, actually I was, uh. Um.” He stuttered. Lance could wait all night for a response, but Matt wasn’t so patient.

“He was trying to find you. I could totally get him arrested for trying to hack into a patron’s personal information.” Matt threatened, but stopped when Keith gave him a glare laced with daggers.

“Personal information?” Lance asked. He still wasn’t sure what was going on.

“Like your address and shit-”

“Matt,  _ please  _ let me explain it myself.” Keith huffed. Matt’s faced twisted into an annoyed grimace as he stood up from his chair.

“FIne. I need a coffee break.” He said. “And no sex while I’m gone. They don’t pay me enough to use pine sol on these desks.” He grumbled on his way out. Both Lance and Keith blushed in embarrassment at that. Lance shifted in place and looked at the ground.

“So, you were trying to get my address?” Lance asked quietly. They were alone on the upstairs level, so the quietness forced him into a whisper. Keith looked down and leaned back onto the front desk.

“Yes?” He said.

“Why? You could have just texted me.”

“I didn’t want to…”

“What? What did you not want to do?” Lance pleaded. His eyebrows curved downward on his forehead, and his shoulders sagged. Him and Hunk spent all night preparing responses and important topics to hit, but this wasn’t on the document. Lance never expected Keith to be looking for him.

“I didn’t want to bother you.” Keith finally said.

“Bother me? What makes you think you bother me?”

“Well. I sort of cut you out of my life.”

“Okay, yeah, that did bother me.” Lance admitted. Keith winced. “But that’s only because I wanted to see you.

“Keith, I really like you.” Lance started. “And if you don’t like me back, that’s totally fine. I just really needed to get that off my chest, you know? Like this whole isolation thing really made me miss you and it’s not just with my grades. Like, I missed sitting next to you and watching movies with you. It’s not like I was only hanging out with you to get a better grade. Oh god, please don’t think that I just don’t know how to express certain things and I didn’t mean to come on too strong that night-”

“Lance,” Keith interrupted, “I like you, too.” Keith paced to the desk Lance stood next to, and stood a foot away from him.

“I was afraid of hurting someone so … important? Like a kid shattering an expensive vase. I didn’t think I was good enough for you.”

“Do you still think that?” Lance asked. 

“Every now and then, yes. But I’m learning.” Keith said. He looked down at the floor. Lance reached his hand across and rested it on Keith’s shoulder. When Keith looked up, Lance held a steady gaze. The lights above them buzzed in the quiet.

“I hope that you’ll let me show you that you can’t break me. I don’t see you as abusive or rude. I see a guy with some insecurities, and I can tell you from experience that we can work on that.” He said.

“Is that what you want, though? A relationship with baggage?” Keith asked. It was finally in the air. A proposal.

“That’s what makes it real. I’m willing to go through a lot with you if you feel the same about me.” Lance replied. He could feel a knot rise in his throat. Keith’s eyes were red and watering, but he answered clearly.

“Of course. I wouldn’t want to with anyone else.” He said. After a second of hesitation, Lance let his bag slide off his shoulder and to the ground. He held up his other arm and pulled Keith into an embrace. His hair was so much softer than Lance expected when he traced his fingers through it. Keith held on tight and shuddered. It was cold outside, but so much warmer in Lance’s arms.

“Oh good, you’re not doing the devil’s dance.” Matt interrupted. They both jumped away from each other in surprise. Matt never made a sound when he made his way back up the stairs with a mug of fresh coffee. “Are you guys done now? Can I get back to doing my job?” He asked while clicking back to the cartoon. Lance turned to Keith and raised his eyebrows.

“Did you drive here? Do you need a ride home?” He asked.

“Uh, no I used the company truck.”

“Good. Let’s go.” Lance grabbed his bag and walked towards the staircase.

“Wha-where are we going?” Keith asked. Lance turned and grabbed Keith’s hand. He intertwined their fingers as he spoke.

“To go tell Hunk that everything’s good, and that we’re all getting coffee tonight.”

“Hunk’s here?’ Keith asked while staring at their connected hands.

“Yeah, he was my moral support. Come on. We should get going before it gets too cold for your truck to start.”

“Oh. Right.” Keith nodded and followed close behind. He waved goodbye to Matt and they ran down the linoleum steps. Keith couldn’t help but smile as he kept pace so not to be dragged by Lance. When they pushed open the doors, the cold bit their noses and made their eyes water. But they didn’t seem to mind.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I was gonna post this tomorrow, but I got too excited :):):)  
> Last chapter next week! Thank you so much for reading this far!!! I love you!!!!  
> <3<3<3


	11. Epilogue

Rain fell hard on the roof of Keith’s apartment. Keith clanked a spoon against the edge of his mug and set it aside. Wrapping his hands around it, he clung to the warmth it provided. He listened to the rain patter against the window pane in his kitchen, and took a deep breath.

A shout came from the living area right before a jarring thud. “Ack!”  Keith laughed and filled the other mug with coffee.

“Having trouble?” He asked as he walked out of the kitchen to see Lance struggling next to a large cardboard box with wood pieces and cushions scattered around him like a furniture conjuring circle. Lance didn’t glance up from the paper instructions in his hands when he muttered.

“Why would we go to Ikea? These damn instructions are in Swedish!”

“Babe, flip it over.” Keith helped. Lance did as he said, but blushed. They were only two weeks into the relationship, and pet names were a new concept Lance never expected.

“Oh. Right, thanks.”

“Plus, wasn’t it your idea to go there? Something about … a romantic walk for two?”

“It was romantic! I just. Didn’t expect the furniture to … I thought that maybe …”

“You thought the furniture would come like the display.” Keith said. Lance shook his head and grumbled under his breath. He leafed through the instructions and huffed.

“I’m just glad that we finally have a couch to sit on.”

“What, you didn’t enjoy sitting next to me on the bed?” Keith teased.

“Oh, I enjoyed every minute of it, but my lower back has to disagree.” Lance stood and admired the mess he made. The rain drummed harder against the window. Keith passed one mug to Lance and they leaned against the wall together.

“Mm,” Lance hummed, “This is good.”

“It’d be better if we were enjoying it on the couch.” Keith said. Lance nodded once again and gave back his mug.

“Don’t worry. I’ll have this done in seconds.” He declared. Keith hummed an ‘mhmm’ and took another sip. The apartment had been empty for so long. It was refreshing to see something taking up its space. Keith’s phone buzzed in his pocket.

**_Text from: Shiro_ **

**_No monopoly tonight. I’m going to Adam’s for the weekend._ **

Keith smiled. Two days after his conversation with Adam, Keith learned from Matt that Shiro and Adam had a long talk that night. Apparently glueing together Keith’s broken courage brought back memories for them. They weren’t officially a ‘thing’ yet.  _ Yet. _

Keith set his mug down on his new coffee table and finally joined Lance with the construction of his new couch. They originally made plans to go to an apple orchard together, but the weather had a different idea. Keith smiled at the thought of nice fall weather, but then flinched.

“Oh my god, Lance. My birthday is in two days.” He interrupted their silence.

“What? You mean I have  _ two days _ to get you a present?”

“Oh no, you don’t have to. I just thought you’d want to know.”

“You think you have a choice whether I get you something? That’s cute, but you’re getting something.” Lance said. 

After an hour of struggling and smashing their their fingers a few times, they finally got the couch set up. Lance fell back onto the puffy gray sofa and let out a long exhale. Keith joined him and sank into the cushions. He looked around at the packaging and bubble wrap around the floor and smiled. This was how an apartment should feel. Like home.

“What are you smiling at, mullet?”

“I’m just really happy.” He looked at Lance and smiled even brighter. He grabbed Lance’s hand and entwined their fingers together. The rain started to let up into a quiet trickle. Keith leaned forward and lifted his chin to Lance to connect their lips. Lance’s eyes widened, but he relaxed after a moment and let his eyes droop shut. He ran his fingers through the back of Keith’s hair and smiled against his lips

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I can't believe I'm crying as I post this omg I love you all soso much  
> I made a playlist for this fic because I'm a sap that loves cute songs https://open.spotify.com/user/garrillagal/playlist/0SvegfNOs7fHJzTINcTdzq?si=A4AKp2LZS7q5nJ8x4VAZJA  
> I can't believe it took me so long to finish this fic. I started in last August, and now we're here. I hope my writing has gotten better since then.  
> Please let me know what you think, and talk to me on tumblr (@garrillagal) !!! I am lonely, so please feel free to message me!
> 
> Again, thank you so much for reading :') I can't wait to keep writing for this fandom :''''')  
> kick <3<3<3


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